Prominent undereye bags, wrinkles, thinner skin, and dark circles are some of the many signs of lower eyelid aging that both men and women begin to experience over time. These common aesthetic concerns are typically the result of pockets of fat, combined with skin laxity, and can make you look chronically tired, depressed, or angry, despite how you truly feel on the inside.
If you are interested in rejuvenating the appearance of your undereye area, lower blepharoplasty – commonly referred to as lower eyelid surgery – may be your top option. Using this technique, a skilled cosmetic surgeon can eliminate undereye puffiness and achieve a smoother and younger-looking contour.
What Causes Changes in the Lower Eyelids?
The eyelid and eyebrow areas are often the first areas of the face to show the signs of aging, and that’s because the skin there is so thin. As you age, this delicate skin around your eyes becomes even thinner, connective tissue weakens, and dark circles and fat pockets emerge under the eyes. These factors all contribute to making you look older than you really are.
Because so much nonverbal communication depends on your eyes, it’s easy to see how your aging eyelids can impact the rest of your face. Your eyes could be relaying a message that you are fatigued or even sick when you feel perfectly fine. A lower blepharoplasty could be just what you need to refresh and revitalize your undereye area.
What Is Involved in Lower Blepharoplasty Surgery?
Lower blepharoplasty is an outpatient surgery that takes an hour or two to perform. The procedure entails improving the appearance of common undereye complaints, including sagging skin and dark circles. If you have bags under your eyes, your surgeon can remove excess fatty tissue via tiny incisions placed either on the underside of your lower lid or just under your lower eyelashes.
Though the results of a lower eyelid surgery are subtle, they can make a tremendous difference in how you look and feel. After your procedure, your lower eyelid and cheek should blend together seamlessly, and no protruding fat bulges should be present under your eyes, resulting in a more alert and approachable appearance.
Many patients who want to address other concerns along with their eyelids choose to combine their lower blepharoplasty with additional surgeries such as a brow lift or facelift for even better anti-aging results. If you are considering more than one cosmetic surgical procedure, getting them at the same time is a smart approach because it only requires one recovery period to heal from both surgeries simultaneously, making it less disruptive for your busy life.
How Long Will I Need to Recover from a Lower Eyelid Surgery?
Most patients take about a week off work after getting a lower blepharoplasty, though you may need more time if you chose to combine your eyelid surgery with another cosmetic procedure. After eyelid surgery, the most common side effects are bruising, swelling, soreness, tightness, itching, and tearing. If you experience discomfort, you can manage it with pain medication. You’ll also have prescriptions for artificial tears and an ophthalmic antibiotic, which you will need to take as directed.
For the first 24 hours after your surgery, you will be groggy from the anesthesia, so you’ll need to arrange for someone to drive you home and look after you to make sure you are resting well. Since your eyes might become tired easily, you may find reading, checking your email, checking your smartphone, or watching TV is uncomfortable as you recover from eyelid surgery. Instead, listening to music or audiobooks may be a better way to spend your time and give your eyelids time to heal.
Ready to Brighten Your Eyes? Get in Touch with Us
To learn more about the advantages of blepharoplasty in the greater Baltimore and Washington, D.C., area, contact the Maryland Institute of Plastic Surgery to schedule a consultation with one of our four board-certified cosmetic surgeons. We have been providing outstanding results to female and male patients for more than two decades, and our surgeons can customize your eyelid surgery based on your aesthetic goals and unique facial structure.